Thanks for your reply. I realized I ran the risk of sounding shallow and empty with the “Sunday School answer” of Jesus being all we need, but I will stick by my statement.

I, too, am Southern Baptist and know the issues of which you speak. However, it seems to me that almost all SBC churches are operating in a church structure that is not biblical (single pastor head with “his” staff and board of directors (deacons). Go to any SBC website and you will see the pastor as CEO portrayed on it. It is the business model transferred over to the church.

You wrote: “My own denomination—the Southern Baptist Convention—is overwhelmingly white, middle class, and quite well-to-do by anyone’s standards; and yet laziness, greed, pride, lack of compassion, and materialism run rampant in nearly every local church.”

Not only do most churches in the twenty-first century not resemble the New Testament in structure (single head pastor), few SBC churches practice meaningful church discipline. It’s not a priority. Why? It’s too painful. Most are too busy “growing” the church and focusing on other things. The result is scores of “members” that aren’t born again, which robs the church of spiritual life and strength and witness in the community. Relationships in these churches are too shallow to support church discipline. I do believe that Jesus is the answer, but there are very complex reasons within the American church that cloud that for us.

Healthy churches will have healthy leadership (plurality of coequal elders) and will produce healthy members (Titus 2 model) that will grow in Christlikeness. Growing in Christlikeness touches every part of one’s character – emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, and relational. I do think it can touch financial as well, but don’t want to run the risk of sounding like I support the “prosperity gospel”. What I mean, is that an individual with increasing wisdom will manage his affairs more responsibly. He will also desire to work hard so that he may share with those in need (Ephesians 4:28).

I appreciate your viewpoint, but I think Christians can run the risk of sounding shallow and empty when we submit a spiritual answer for every social issue. Do people need Jesus? Of course! Does knowing Jesus eliminate laziness and other forms of character weakness? Not necessarily.

My own denomination—the Southern Baptist Convention—is overwhelmingly white, middle class, and quite well-to-do by anyone’s standards; and yet laziness, greed, pride, lack of compassion, and materialism run rampant in nearly every local church. If Jesus is the answer we claim, then it really shouldn’t be the way it is, should it? Now I’m not saying that most people don’t need to know Him and live in relationship with the triune God, but I’m just pointing out that poverty will not be eradicated by spirituality any more than the other “sins” I’ve listed above.

I would agree that hard work goes a long way, provided there are jobs available for those willing to engage themselves in the workforce, but these days of global recession are taking their toll on those who are willing to work but who cannot find gainful employment. Imagine the self-employed farmer who works under the hot sun far more hours than the investment banker. He gains a crop but finds that the market price has dropped way below what it cost him to produce.

Personally, I don’t believe poverty will ever be eradicated when you consider Payne’s first premise: poverty is relative. It’s really not always about money. There are many financially prosperous people in the world who are impoverished in nearly every other category: emotional, mental, spiritual, physical, and relational.

But one encouraging aspect for Christians is this: we can make a huge difference in the lives of others, especially when it comes to building relationships and support systems with those who find themselves without anyone willing to give them a hand up and out of the cycle of poverty they have always known.

I just stumbled onto your blog this morning and found your writing to be very enjoyable. I don’t have much to add to what you’ve said, and I certainly don’t want to over-simplify a very complex issue, but I tend to think poverty is primarily a spiritual problem.

Proverbs 10:4 says, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.”

Now, that’s not a promise, but a principle. Obviously, sometimes people are indeed diligent in their work and they still don’t prosper, financially. But there are also many cases of generational poverty that stems from a grandfather (or earlier) that lacked character to provide for his family – be it spiritually, financially, emotionally or whatever. Still, though, it is a spiritual issue.

I believe that in surrendering one’s life to the lordship of Christ and feeding upon the Word of God consistently, almighty God will bestow increased wisdom to deal honorably (biblically) with issues that arise.